Unions have gotten a bad
name here in Wisconsin
over these past few years. The Republican led drive to eradicate them from both
public and private sector workplaces has reached a fever pitch. Legislation,
rhetoric and policy have all been crafted to make unions out to be the villains
in a struggle for political, social and economic supremacy at the local, state
and national levels. They have been labeled as anti-American, thugs and the
protectors of the incompetent. All part of a carefully designed strategy to
eliminate the power of the employee in the workplace and to silence political
opposition.
This strategy has been
effectively employed in making it appear that a majority of citizens oppose unionization
and organized labor. Listening to political dialog and following coverage of
labor issues in the media it would appear that the support for anti-union
policies is widespread. Anti-union forces cite data about the falling numbers
of union members as evidence of the public's rejection of unions and organized
labor. The language of "freedom" and "personal liberty" is
thrown carelessly into the debate by those who would restrict our freedoms and
liberty.
All of this rhetoric is
designed to create an environment that is toxic to those who would advocate for
the rights of workers. Anti-union advocates are crafting a message that appears
benign on one hand. They claim to speak in support of workers who simply need
the chance to advance their prospects. They also claim to be pro-worker and
tread a thin line between criticizing unions while claiming to advocate for
union members. They present unions as obstacles to personal achievement and as
part of a system designed to keep people from accomplishing their full
potential.
In Wisconsin,
where the labor movement took root a century ago, a campaign by the governor
has broken its power. His political allies hope he can take a similar campaign
nationwide.
nytimes.com|By Dan Kaufman
Yet, once you look beyond
the rhetoric and carefully consider the issues involved in workplace organizing
and unionizing a very different picture emerges. This claim that unions are
anti-democratic and anti-American is discredited and with more investigation is
revealed as part of an ongoing effort by the political and economic elite of America to
retain and expand their power base. Union membership is down for a variety of
reasons. Take the example of public sector unions in Wisconsin, the fact that membership is
declining isn't because people don't want to unionize, in fact voting in
recertification and polling clearly shows the opposite. Instead, membership
declines because legislation and policy make it financially difficult to join,
and anti-union policies force employees to choose between employment or career
advancement and union membership.
How a Philadelphia
charter operator can spend tens of thousands of public dollars to fight a
union.
alternet.org
Another reason for
declining membership is the cyclical nature of American society. Strong unions
in the post WWII era built a strong middle class and a robust economy. As
conditions for most people improved, the drive to organize and the engagement
of members weakened. We see this type of cycle in many areas of our society, we
tend to become complacent until faced with a crisis or significant challenges.
Given that reality, it is clear that we will see a rebirth (if we aren't seeing
it already) in the labor movement. The hope is that it will come sooner rather
than later and thereby avoid the need for extreme or radical action like that
seen at the end of the 19th Century.
When talking about unions
and organized labor the truth is truly "out there" if one looks
carefully and thoughtfully. We should recognize that unions are not perfect
institutions. They are human creations that have all the flaws that are
inherent in our nature. At the same time, we can't dwell on the failings of our
unions, historical or modern. While imperfect, they are still a vast
improvement from the alternative where employee voice is limited or ignored.
Here are some of the
truths about unions from my perspective. . .
Anti-union = anti-worker and anti-democracy- "I support educators, but don't like their
unions." We heard this one all the time here in Wisconsin during the conflict around Act 10.
The refrain was that the educators were great, but the unions were the problem.
However, if we are going to blame unions for the problems that exist in any
public or private sector place of employment, then we really are blaming the
employees. Unions are controlled by the employees who comprise the membership.
To claim to support
workers, but not unions is like saying I believe in the power and freedom of
the people, but don't like democracy. Sounds ridiculous? Not when you look at
the efforts of the Republican leadership here in Wisconsin to restrict the ability of common
citizens to impact their government. Those who parrot the party line against
unions are simply voicing their support for greater centralized control of
power in our society. The fact that those advocating for the elimination of
unions are making the claim to stand for "liberty and justice for
all" is bitterly ironic and a threat to the true foundations of our system
of government.
At their core, unions are
democratic institutions that should be responsive to the needs of their members
at a very personal level. Just like our democratic system of government unions
rely on active members to guide and engage the leaders in representing the
needs of the employees. When we eliminate unions we replace a democratic institution
with an oligarchic hierarchy that puts the needs of the few over the needs of
the majority.
Unions are pro equity and pro opportunity- Another argument against unions is that they stifle
opportunity for individuals, and even promote inequities in social and economic
opportunities. The reasoning behind this is the idea that a "free
market" of employment will allow those most deserving to rise to the top
of the ladder. In an ideal world where we truly judge employees by their
merits, this might be a valid argument. But, our world isn't perfect and we know
that opportunities are limited based on a wide variety of criteria. To assume
that we have moved beyond our prejudices and into a society where everyone has
an equal opportunity is unrealistic and ignores the reality of modern American
society.
Unions have a legacy of
providing equity and opportunity for those who have not had access to them in
the non-unionized or private sector. When unions, especially public sector
ones, are weakened or destroyed these windows of opportunity are restricted or
closed.
s
long as I can remember, there has been a perennial plea for black people to
enter the teaching profession, and many of us enthusiastically headed this
righteous call. However, as the nation's population and students have grown...
empathyeducates.org
As
public sector employment, once a dependable pathway to success for many blacks,
was cut in the downturn, African-American communities suffered an outsize toll.
nytimes.com|By PATRICIA COHEN
The benefits of unions
extend to all of society. When unions are a potent force in the workplace
wages, benefits and working conditions for all employees rise. The contracts
that are created through collective bargaining set standards that protect
workers physically, emotionally and provide job protections that allow for
creativity and ingenuity to flourish.
Unions are about community and interdependence- The attacks on unions have focused on trying to
divide and conquer the general population. This message of individual rights
over the responsibility that we have to the larger collective whole may
resonate in advertising and propaganda, but when put to the test people
generally recognize their responsibilities to each other. Being part of a
community is vital to our success as individuals and unions provide a venue
where cooperation and collective action are the norm. Those who advance their
own personal gain over the needs of society harm all of us. When humans first
began to join in groups for survival we entered into a "social
compact" that cemented our need to care for all members of a society. The
union mantra of "An injury to one is an injury to all," cements that
legacy.
Working people are fighting for one another
desmoinesregister.com
verdantlabs.com
Unions provide
a balance to the power of the wealthy and influential- We know that those who already have wealth and
power will do their best to maintain their status. Without a collective voice
each of us will be unable to counter the influence that this small number of
people have in our society.
Your senators and representatives are bowing to special
interests. Here's which ones.
addictinginfo.org
Unions advocate for change and progress- Unions take the blame for a variety of societal
ills, yet many of the attacks on unions are unfounded. This can be clearly seen
in areas like public education where unjustified attacks take focus away from
problems that truly merit our attention. There are many challenges that we need
to address, but instead some choose to place blame instead of truly identifying
the root causes of issues and working for change. Unions become a scapegoat for
ills that are deeply rooted in our society.
Madison
required its students to show up for school Thursday only to send them home 90
minutes later.
host.madison.com|By Wisconsin State
Journal editorial
What is ignored is the
fact that the support and protection that a union offers gives educators a
voice in improving the system that we currently have. Instead of silencing our
educators and putting the power of educational reform in the hands of
profiteers and those who would turn education into a business, unions allow
educators to speak out and advocate for our students and our profession.
Hundreds turn out for a rally in Sun Prairie as legislators
prepare to act on a broad education package.
"Teaching is an art form rooted in the wise and careful
use of educational research and assessment tools. When government policy makers
continue to implement evaluation methods and...
creativesystemsthinking.wordpress.com
Without public educator
unions the narrative about education is controlled by people who don't
understand or respect education, and who don't have direct connections with
students in classrooms.
Wisconsin
expanded charter schools, choice
desmoinesregister.com
In a column for the Des Moines Register published on
Wednesday, Gov. Scott Walker says education policies that have been enacted
under his watch in Wisconsin
should be pushed nationwide.
wpr.org
An award-winning Wisconsin
high school teacher is...
wbay.com
We got a huge amount of reader response to my post yesterday
about the impending demise of the University
of Wisconsin. That's not
terribly surprising. One of the things we've learned over the years from
audience research is that...
talkingpointsmemo.com
An audit shows that feds failed to monitor charters; some
took millions and never opened to students.
washingtonpost.com
We can see the impact that
the "reforms" offered by Conservatives in Wisconsin have had on our schools, students
and educators.
School board members are considering raising taxes and using
a budget surplus to avoid a $11.6 million deficit for 2016-17.
host.madison.com|By Molly Beck |
Wisconsin State Journal
The stressful conditions of poverty—“overcrowding, noise,
substandard housing, separation from parent(s), exposure to violence, family
turmoil”—can permanently diminish the ability to think clearly and...
truthdig.com
The union that represents teachers and other employees
reported 165 retirements, up 33 percent over 2014 and close to post-Act 10
levels.
host.madison.com|By Todd D. Milewski
| The Capital Times
Unions need to be involved in politics- I frequently hear people talk about how they could
support unions if they would just stay in the workplace and out of politics.
Yet, we know that our economics and employment are a central aspect to every
person's life and happiness. These areas of our lives are directly impacted by
politics and the decisions that our elected officials make on a regular basis.
Because unions are
directly connected to individuals and represent a collective voice, their involvement
in elections becomes vital. This is especially true in the current political
environment where money has become equal to or even more important than ideas
and votes.
The dark money web behind Walker's ascendance.
prospect.org
America is a nation of diversity and our democratic
institutions have the potential to provide a sense of order and of community
when all voices are heard. However, when one ideology, political party or
demographic group has exclusive control of the decision making bodies we lose
the power of the collective and become one dimensional. The sense of
accountability that comes from an involved and active electorate isn't as
strong as when we have a more ideologically balanced electorate. The party in
power is able to control the messaging and this leads to far reaching
consequences. The message that Governor Walker and his fellow Wisconsin
Conservatives used to get elected was one that sought to discredit and
eliminate dissenting voices, especially those of public sector unions. Now, in Walker's second term, we
are seeing the negative results of this divisive messaging play out across the
state. Those who voted for reform, or maybe even revenge, are now seeing their
interests ignored by political leaders who are focused on their own political
or economic gain.
While cities like Madison, Waukesha and Green Bay
thrive economically, northern Wisconsin
counties have been left behind in the state's economic development...
wisconsinwatch.org
The write-offs include 28 different loans removed from the
balance sheets of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., with some companies
receiving multiple loans. Most were awarded by the old Commerce Department.
jsonline.com|By Mary Spicuzza
Robert Kraig is the Executive Director and Kevin Kane is the
Lead Organizer for Citizen Action of Wisconsin, a statewide membership
organization which advocates for guaranteed affordable health care and a fair
economy that works for everyone (www.citizenactionwi.org).
kenoshanews.com
Our current conflicts are part of a historical
struggle in America- Over the past
few years I've learned more about the history of the labor movement and have
realized just how deep the roots of this fight run. It shouldn't be surprising
that conflicts this long standing and intense are difficult to overcome. There
is a constant tension between the many different groups that make up our
political, social and economic landscape. We see ideas recycled and the balance
of power shift between different ideologies.
In 1980, David Koch ran for Vice President on the
Libertarian Party ticket. Courtesy of Senator Bernie Sanders's press office,
the 1980 Libertarian Party platform...
m.dailykos.com
The wealthy in America will
always find a way to influence public policy, and those with little individual
power will find ways to unite and act collectively. Unions provide a voice that
counters the message of austerity and individualism that stratifies our society
and weakens our democracy
Manny Schewitz discusses the 5 main reasons why poor people
vote for Republicans and how we can change that trend.
forwardprogressives.com|By Manny
Schewitz
It may seem hard to believe, but not long ago I voted almost
exclusively for Republicans. I was fooled a few times, but they mostly
represented my vision of America
wiscnews.com|By Pat Nash Columnist
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has often said the biggest
lesson he learned during his fight over stripping public employees of most
collective bargaining powers is that he should have spent more time selling it
to the Wisconsin public before...
politico.com|By JR Ross
We should be proud of what our unions have
accomplished and work to advance the causes that unions support.- Once again, unions aren't perfect institutions, but
at the same time I hear too many union members seem almost apologetic or
hesitant to identify as being part of a union. Unions have been at the
forefront of social change and are a vital part of our ongoing movement towards
a more socially just society. Now that we are facing our most difficult
challenges in decades it is even more important that people recognize the
importance of strong, active union membership. Our unions need to adapt and
change to function in the current restrictive environment, but they shouldn't
be silent or fearful. It is only through strong advocacy and progressive action
that unions will be able to influence the political, social and economic future
of America.
We've come a long way in this country, but certainly not
always in the right direction when it comes to speaking openly and proudly
about the value of unions.
www.huffingtonpost.com
Some
Good News. . .
Always enjoy a humorous
headline.
sbnation.com|By Bill Hanstock
Oregon continues to lead in the efforts to change the
testing landscape in our schools.
Today the Oregon Senate overwhelmingly passed HB 2655 (24-6)
-- one of the strongest bills in the nation to support all students and parents
on statewide standardized assessments. The bill...
us2.campaign-archive2.com
It's great to see
businesses look out for their employees.
Chipotle Mexican Grill is set to give all employees,
including part-time workers, paid vacation time, sick leave pay and tuition
reimbursement starting July 1,...
usatoday.com
Now we need to see this
play out in the next election here in Wisconsin.
A new analysis of Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll data
finds a marked increase in the share of registered voters identifying
themselves as liberals, and...
www.wsj.com|By Janet
Hook
